


Gem Knight

by splatoonjoycon



Category: Kirby (Video Games), Kirby - All Media Types
Genre: Also this is with gijinkas lmao, Both Dedede and Meta are around 14-15, But the relationships between characters / ages definitely aren’t the same, Dedede’s Parents Have Been... Keeping Some Secrets, Highly based off of ‘Mirror Gem’ from Steven Universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-08 04:22:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15235224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/splatoonjoycon/pseuds/splatoonjoycon
Summary: Dedede’s been wondering about the weird sword with the prongs on the sides. Especially that strange stone in the quillon of it.. Only one way to find out what it’s deal is.Break it.(Based on RadiantSeraphina’s Pufflaxia AU, and Steven Universe. Not truthful to either. Forgive me, Seraphina and Rebecca Sugar, for bastardizing your works.)





	1. Gem Knight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RadiantSeraphina (Lady_Arrowwood)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Arrowwood/gifts).



Dedede’s lived a rather sheltered life thus far. The greatest hardship he’s had to go through was probably when his friend, Escargoon, moved away to White Wafers. He never did like the cold.. Hopefully Escargoon didn’t freeze! 

But, life was still good for Dedede back in Orange Oceans. Good parents, good friends, good school. And _especially_ good summer break. Nothing better than hanging out on the beach with friends. Though, there was something that had been on Dedede’s mind much more than the glimmering waters of Orange Ocean. 

The shining, pronged silver sword with the sapphire in its quillon that was hung on the wall for the past few months. 

There was something about it that.. drew him in.

It could not just be a regular sword.

No way in Hell was it just a regular sword.

“Hey, Mom, I got a question.” Dedede walked up behind his mother, Delilah, who was washing dishes at the moment. She replied without turning around.

“Yeah? What is it, honey?” Delilah continued to scrub at a rather hardy cheese stain on a plate. Her son’s question couldn’t have shocked her more.

“What’s the deal with that silver sword in the hall? ‘S just.. weird. Like it’s talkin’ ta me! Isn’t that crazy?” Delilah stopped her cleaning to give Dedede a concerned look. 

“Did you hear it talking? Like, an actual voice?” Dedede was weirded out by how serious his mother was being. She’d always been very laid back..

“I guess so? Sometimes it sounds like it’s talkin’..” Delilah turned all the way around and put her gloved hands on Dedede’s shoulders, soaking his shirt.

“Don’t listen to the sword. Whatever it says, ignore it. I should be getting rid of that old thing anyways..” She sighed and turned back around. “Why don’t you go work on your summer project or go collect shells or.. Or something to take your mind off of it?” Dedede nodded and made a beeline for his room, running up the stairs. What could be so wrong with the sword for his mother to get all uptight? 

But there was no way that Dedede was ignoring the sword’s voice. He started to mentally form his plan: 

1\. Wait until his mom had gone to bed.  
2\. Sneak out of his room.  
3\. See what the sword’s deal is by asking it directly.

Hopefully the sword wouldn’t kill him or possess him for even speaking to it.. What’s Dedede even thinking? Does the thing even talk?

At precisely 2:36AM, Dedede was sure that his mom was sleeping. She couldn’t even stay up ‘til midnight on New Year’s. He was absolutely certain she was sleeping. Dedede tiptoed out of his room, moving as slowly as he could down the stairs and to the hallway. And, as always, the sword was hung proudly on the wall, moonlight reflecting off of its blade. Dedede approached it, determined to get some damn answers from the weapon.

“Yo. So, it’s Dedede. You’ve been talkin’ to me fer a while, or uh.. I think you have been, but I haven’t said nothin’ yet. Well, I wanna know what your deal is! Why do you talk? Yer a weapon! Weapons don’t talk.” Dedede impatiently asked the blade. 

_Take me to the beach. Remove my sapphire_ , it replied in a whisper that sent chills down Dedede’s spine. He cautiously took the sword off the wall and headed out the door and onto the sand. He _really_ wanted to know what the sword’s deal was. Hopefully he won’t end up drowned or stabbed tonight. Dedede sat down in the sand, looking down at the sword in his lap.

“Uh.. So ya just want me ta take the gem outta you?” The soft breeze seemed to be an encouragement to go through with destroying this sword. Here goes nothing. 

Dedede took a deep breath, grabbed the sapphire embedded in the sword and pulled. The wind picked up as he progressed in pulling it free, the wind circling around him in a tornado-like fashion, the force of it growing stronger and faster until the sapphire was out of the quillon and on the sand a few feet away, almost glowing in the soft moonlight amongst the waves and the sand. The wind stopped suddenly, and all was quiet for a moment.

“What gives, sword? You said th-“ Dedede was interrupted by a glow erupting from the jewel. Within seconds, a person appeared before him and the sapphire was gone. It was a kid about his age. Tanned skin, many scars and dark blue hair that reached their shoulders, wavy and messy like a stormy, midnight ocean. Dressed in what looked like raggedy pajamas. Small, bat-like wings. Dedede rushed over. 

“Hey, are you the guy in the sword?” Dedede asked frantically, standing behind this strange person. They stood up suddenly (Oh, they were so short! That’s kinda cute.) and turned to face Dedede. One of their eyes was a bright gold, and the other was a milky grey. Were they blind? There was no time to think about their potential blindness, as they were already falling over their feet, leaving Dedede to catch them. And catch he did! Dedede has known this person for maybe two minutes now, and he was already holding them to his chest to make sure they didn’t fall.

“Hey, careful there! Don’t let yourself fall already..” They looked up at Dedede, smiling happily. Wow, this sword guy was.. really cute. 

“Thank you! You.. You saved me! I’m Meta. Meta Knight Nocturne de Brillante Armadura. You’re Dedede, right?” Meta was clearly enthusiastic about meeting someone new. How long were they in there..?

“Yep, that’s my name! Don’t wear it out!” Meta pulled a confused face. Did they recognize Dedede’s name? 

“Are you _really_ a Novatrix?” They asked quizzically. Was this the question that would get Dedede killed? Only one way to find out.

“Uh, yeah? What’s that got ta do with anything?” Meta furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. 

“But.. you saved me.” Meta was confused. Why would a Novatrix save them, of all people? Weren’t they the ones that had them sealed away?

“I did save ya, don’t know what that has to do with me bein’ a Novatrix though. Aight, I’m gonna take you inside, you’re prolly hungry, right?” Meta stopped speculating for a moment at the mention of food. They nodded wildly. They were so hungry. Dedede couldn’t help but crack a smile at Meta’s enthusiasm. He lifted Meta up into his arms and carried them inside, placing them down on the kitchen counter once inside. 

“Aight, what do ya want to eat?” Dedede asked, staring at the inside of his fridge. Meta angled their head to see what was inside. 

“There’s.. something in the silver wrap.” Dedede grabbed the aluminum foil-wrapped half-sandwich from last week and pulled it out for Meta, unwrapping it and handing it to them. They inspect the sandwich and hurriedly scarf it down afterwards. Though, Dedede wants some payment for his half-eaten sandwich.

“So. Tell me. How’d you get in that sword?” Meta froze mid-sandwich. They began to stutter through an answer before giving into their rising tears. Dedede realized that he’d fucked up, and quickly stepped forward to comfort Meta with a hug. Those always worked, right?

“Hey, hey, you don’t gotta answer! ‘S okay, I don’t need ta know that bad.” Meta tried to stay quiet, and.. mostly succeeded, save for a few loud, choked sobs. 

“‘M sorry.. Didn’t m-me-mean to.. to cry.” Meta said quietly, burying their face in Dedede’s shoulder. Dedede rubbed Meta’s back, trying to calm them down. Talk about a busy night! Saving a person from a sword, inviting them into his home and now calming them down. What a night!

“Naw, it’s okay! Everybody’s gotta cry sometimes..” Meta was growing quiet. The perfect opportunity to take them upstairs. Dedede hoisted them off the counter again and carried them upstairs, placing them down on the bed once in his room. 

“You gonna be okay to sleep?” Meta nodded, wiping their eyes. They stepped off the bed and laid down on the floor.

“Good night..” Dedede was so confused. Why did Meta think he had to sleep on the floor? He grabbed them and lifted them back up onto the bed. 

“What’re you doin’? You don’t hafta sleep on the floor. You wanna sleep up here? If you don’t wanna do that, I have an air mattress..“ Meta cut him off by laying down on his bed and gesturing for Dedede to do the same. Dedede smiled and laid down next to Meta, pulling the blankets over them both. What a great night! He got to share a bed with a cute sword person! It really is twentygayteen.

“G’night, Meta!” Dedede shut his eyes, and Meta did the same. Dedede could’ve sworn he felt arms around his torso, but that might just be his overactive imagination.

He prayed to Nova that it wasn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Glad you made it through that. Sorry if you saw my name in the Kirby tag and thought Kirby and Their Two Dumbass Dads updated lmao. That might update soon, too! 
> 
> This is mostly based off of Mirror Gem. There is a small draw from RadiantSeraphina’s Pufflaxia AU, and other small draws from her works, such as Meta’s full name, Dedede’s last name and Delilah’s name.
> 
> I know that Meta’s acting pretty out of character in this chapter. That’s because they just got released from their prison and they’re pretty emotional about it! They’ll come to their senses in later chapters, trust me.
> 
> I wanted to use they/them pronouns for Meta in this fic because I headcanon them as nonbinary, and using he/him and they/them pronouns. Just wanted to switch it up a little!
> 
> Also, please follow my tumblr @charmeineofharmony. I would love to get asks (and maybe requests?) from you guys! 
> 
> And no, Meta is not a gem. They were just trapped in the gem by.. Well, that’s spoilers. You’ll have to wait and see!
> 
> (updated on 12-15-18 to fix plot holes (and lots of them lollll))


	2. SBFF (Secret Best Friend Forever)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delilah can’t know about Meta. She’d certainly kill Dedede for a menagerie of things. Breaking the sword, taking a demon beast inside the house.. 
> 
> Wait, what was that last part?

Morning came too soon. Dedede would’ve been content with Meta laying at his side for eternity, but.. Eventually, morning always comes, leaving the darkness of the night behind in its path. 

But, the good thing about morning was that Dedede could _see_ the cute sword person in his bed who did, in fact, have their arms wrapped around Dedede. They looked almost angelic in the morning light from the window, light splayed over their dark hair and dancing around their scars. There was a certain kind of beauty to this person. Though, Dedede didn’t have time to ponder over Meta’s beauty or write a 23 chapter novel about it in his head because they were waking up. And that reminded him of all the questions he needed to ask. Hopefully these won’t envoke such an emotional response. Meta stirred awake slowly, their eyes creaking open to look up at their new (and only) friend. 

“Gooood morning, Meta! Now, I got some questions for ya, if you don’t mind answerin’ them.” Dedede sat up, dragging Meta up with him to sit parallel to him on the bed. They waited for questions to be asked patiently. 

“Alrighty. First of all, are you blind in that eye?” Dedede pointed to Meta’s grey, glazed over left eye. They nodded. 

“I’ve never been able to see out of that eye. My creator saw it as a drawback, but he still gave me all his magic.” This only arose more questions for Dedede.

“Huh. Well, who’s yer creator?” Meta seemed almost eager to answer, like they’ve been waiting to tell someone for centuries. 

“Nightmare Enterprises created. The President of the company, Nightmare himself, decided that I would be a good family heir! But..” Meta’s enthusiasm dropped. “He cast me out. I was bad, and he doesn’t want me anymore.” Dedede was shocked. Nightmare Enterprises? Wouldn’t that make Meta a demonbeast? No way, Meta’s way too cute to be a one of those monstrous creatures.

“Well, Nightmare sounds like a big jerk ta me! Anyone who doesn’t want someone as cool as you out must be really stupid!” Meta couldn’t believe their ears. Or the smile spreading across their face at these words. Just before they were trapped in that damn sword, Meta would’ve slaughtered anyone who spoke of Nightmare badly. But now.. Meta found themselves agreeing. Was this the ‘healing process’ Galaxia talked about before he was trapped?

“Thanks. ..Maybe he _is_.. a big jerk. S-Sometimes.” Meta looked around to make sure no one else heard them say that. Healing was gonna take a while, but.. Three years by yourself in a sword gives you time to reflect on things. 

“That’s the spirit! I’m gonna get some food downstairs, you stay here, I’ll be back. You want anything?” Meta thought about it. Dedede seemed like he had lots of food in his house. But.. They didn’t want to appear greedy! 

“Uh, sure. Anything you don’t need is fine. If it isn’t too much trouble.” Dedede was weirded out by Meta’s behavior. He’d never seen anyone act like that. 

“You’re weird. I like it! I’ll be back in a few minutes. Stay cute!” Dedede was not the best flirt in many people’s eyes. He was lucky Meta had never been flirted with. Said kid was now all pink in the face.

“Don’t.. Don’t call me..” They retaliated just before Dedede closed the door. Now came the task of keeping themselves occupied. Meta spotted a mirror on the wall, and decided to see how they were looking now that they escaped that sword. Their appearance did not change much, other than the now pink tint on their cheeks and the subtle smell of the ocean reeking off of them. Interesting. They’d only been to the ocean just yesterday, and even that was only for a few minutes. 

Meta could hear Delilah asking about the sword downstairs. That voice.. That couldn’t be _her_ , right? The woman that they heard in the sword, who ignored their cries for help? Or had she fallen victim Nightmare’s tricks as well? There was no time to decide what they believed, because she was coming up the stairs, and they had to hide. Meta dashed to the bed and slid underneath, pulling the blankets over the gap between the bed and the floor. They were a very resourceful hider. Delilah searched the room, getting dangerously close to Meta’s hiding spot and scaring the life out of them before leaving in a huff. Thank Nova. Dedede rushed past his mother and shut himself and Meta in the room.

“Meta, you still in here? Sorry if my mom scared ya, she’s kinda pissed I lost the sword you were in.” Dedede looked around the room, eventually seeing them once they crawled out from under the bed. 

“Smart. Ya pulled the blankets over the gap so I couldn’t see you! You’re real good at hiding.” Meta couldn’t help but feel.. special. What a nice boy.. They were thankful that Dedede, of all people, was the one who found them.

“Thank you. I learned from.. experience.” Meta replied. ‘Experience’ was a.. very loose term, but that didn’t seem too important to investigate. 

“You musta played a lotta hide n’ seek..” Dedede muttered, then realizing something. “Wait- shit! I didn’t get yer food! I’ll be right back- again! See ya in a few minutes!” Dedede left the room yet again, leaving Meta to their own devices. They decided to search his room for something to wear that wasn’t so scratchy and raggedy, eventually finding some dumb graphic tee shirt and an old pair of althetic shorts that definitely would not fit Dedede anymore. They changed quickly, satisfied with the feeling of new clothes after 3 years of not changing them. What a nice feeling. Meta was glad that they were alive to appreciate little things. Within a few minutes, Dedede was back with two burnt toaster bagels and an amused look on his face at Meta’s new clothes. 

“What are you looking at me like that for?” Meta asked, not putting two and two together. Dedede placed the bagels on his dresser.

“You helped yerself to my clothes! That’s cute. I know ya don’t think you’re cute, but you are, and this only proves it!” Dedede cooed, leaving Meta very flustered. They weren’t cute! Definitely not! 

“I-I’m not..” They sighed. “Oh, whatever.” Meta eyed the bagels, looking to Dedede for permission to take one.

“Go ‘head and take one! I didn’t grab two fer nothin’.” Meta took this opportunity, taking the more burnt bagel and basically inhaling the thing. Dedede would usually ask someone eating like this if they were getting any food at home, but he figured that Meta was just hungry because they were trapped in a sword for Nova knows how long. 

Hopefully that was the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! I was gonna have this be a more action-y chapter, but I decided that there should be a little more relationship-building between Dedede and Meta. I’m gonna let Meta breathe for a minute.
> 
> At least until the next chapter ;)
> 
> I hope the way I described Meta in the 2nd paragraph isn’t.. weird. I tried to think of some way to capture what Dedede was probably thinking but also not be creepy, because Meta and Dedede are like fifteen. I tried to go with whatever would make me comfortable if I were being described, since I’m also fifteen, but I’m just putting this here to let y’all know that I’m not a pedophile and just a writer struggling to describe these characters.


	3. Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meta finally comes face to face with Delilah.
> 
> They are not happy to hear her voice again.
> 
> (Also, — means a switch between Meta and Dedede’s POV’s.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where the plot really kicks in. Y’all had your fun with ‘Oh, Meta and Dedede are meeting and oh what are all these little hints and oh Meta’s so shy’, but now it’s story time. I even put these beginning chapter notes just to tell you guys how excited I am to write this. The story’s been buzzing in my head and now! I can write it. Wahoo!

Meta was very happy where they were now. They’d been trapped in that hellish sword without anywhere to go or anyone to talk to for 3 long years, and now they have a _very_ nice friend and food and clothes. This was the best things had ever been for Meta.

They should’ve known it wouldn’t last long. 

“You’re really hungry, aren’t you? Prolly cuz’ you’ve been in that sword for Nova knows how lo-“ Dedede couldn’t even finish his sentence before a fuming Delilah burst in, endlessly angry at finding the sword sapphire-less on the beach.

“DEDEDE NOVATRIX! Explain to me _why_ the sword I _specifically_ told you not to touch was on the-“

“..You.” 

Meta was _not_ happy to see Delilah again. Delilah looked confused, her rage dissipating in seconds and being replaced with questions upon questions. Who was this strange child? Why were they so upset with her?

“..I beg your pardon?” 

Meta does not answer.

“You.. You _knew_ I was in there. And you didn’t do.. ANYTHING!” 

Harsh winds begins to blow throw the bedroom, lifting Meta off of the bed. Dedede has no Nova-damned clue what was happening. Did Meta know his mother..? He stands between Meta and Delilah.

“Wait! Meta, what are you doing? That’s my mom you’re attacking, ya know!”

Meta had no care for Dedede’s protests at this point, or anyone’s for that matter. They needed to face Delilah, the woman that caused them this suffering. 

“You didn’t care about who I am! Who I _was!_ You can’t keep me trapped here forever!” 

The blazing winds break the window, flowing out into the air outside. Meta turns to Dedede, extending a hand to him. 

“Dedede. We can’t trust her, come with me.” 

What is he supposed to say? Abandon his mother to run away with mystery sword boy, or abandon his new friend and stay with his apparently very secretive mother?

“Wh- What?- Where are you going?” 

Meta seemed troubled, their eyebrows furrowing. They stared out the window for a moment, then back at Dedede. 

“Home.” 

They do not know where home is. They don’t know if they’ll ever find it. It’ll be a lot easier to find with someone they trust. 

But they cannot stay near this woman. 

She’ll only put them back in the sword.

That’s all she wanted, right?

Dedede looks to a distressed Delilah, and back to an impatient Meta. What do they do? Who do they choose? 

What the Hell is even going on?

“I-I .. I can’t!” 

Meta’s hand falls back to their side. They stare at Dedede, endlessly upset that their only friend will not come with them. It’s so much harder all alone. 

But.. If he will not cooperate..

“Fine.” 

Meta jumped out the window, unfurling their wings and flying off. Dedede quickly jumped up onto the bed and stared out the window. He watched helplessly as they flew off. He looked back at his mother, mouth agape and eyes wide. She shared the expression. 

“Who.. Who _was_ that?” She asked, shocked beyond belief. Dedede wasn’t sure whether to come clean or not. But.. this was his mom. He could tell her, surely. Plus, it’s not like he had a choice now. 

“That was.. Meta. They came outta the sword..” Delilah’s eyes widen even further. She sits Dedede down on the bed and does the same herself, avoiding any broken glass. 

“There are some things I haven’t told you about that sword.” Delilah takes a deep breath. She should have inspected the sword herself. If Dedede was telling the truth, then she had been thoroughly lied to. 

”The sword was from Nightmare. He’d never liked me for a number of reasons, and he told me that his most powerful demonbeast was in that sword. That if I released it, it would most certainly maul me an’ you. And if it didn’t, that he’d come here himself and kill us. The kid in there- Meta, you called him- would beg me to let him out, that they wouldn’t hurt us, but I didn’t listen. Thought they were lying. I have no damn clue why he’d give the thing to me of all people, but..” Delilah sighed. That poor kid. Trapped in a sword for what was supposed to be eternity, had Dedede not released them. 

She prayed to Nova that the child would return so she could apologize. 

—

Meta wiped the tears forming in their eyes. They should’ve seen this coming. Of _course_ Dedede wouldn’t come with them. He’s a Novatrix.

Meta should’ve known not to trust him. 

The wind blew hard in their face, hurting their eyes and blowing their hair far out of their face. The only sounds they heard were the birds and whirring of boats in the ocean beneath them. They flew until they could not feel their wings anymore and the sun was setting, landing on the outskirts of another small village. 

Miles and miles away from Orange Ocean and their only friend. 

They sat down, leaning against a shed and began to cry. They were back to having no friends. How foolish of them to believe that Dedede would run from his safe, warm home with food and love to stay with them. Meta pulled their knees to their chest and put their head down, trying to stay silent. 

That’s when they felt the heat of a sacred flame they’d long for in that Nova forsaken prison of a sword. 

Meta looked up to see a worried, golden gown-clad woman kneeling down in front of them. A woman who’d promised to keep them safe for all of their days. 

“Galaxia?” Meta asked shakily. Galaxia nods, instantly pulling them into her warm embrace. The poor child. They’d been through too much, she just wanted them to be okay for once. For forever. 

“It’s okay, dear heart.. I won’t hurt you. I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.” She gently rocked Meta back and forth in an effort to calm them down. They continued to sob to her, overwhelmed by emotion. Just as Meta thought they found their home, it was ripped from them yet again. 

“I-I wan I w-want to-“ Meta can barely even speak through their tears. Galaxia rubbed their back. She’s going to kill that Nightmare one day. He’s completely ripped this child apart, and he needs to pay for his actions.

“Shh, I know. We’re gonna find a place where it’s safe, and I’m _never_ going to let anyone hurt you again.” Meta wasn’t sure if they believed her. 

But, who else did they have to trust at this point?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the inconsistent writing format near the Climaxé of the chapter. I wanted to make it seem more dramatic by spacing the words. I hope it worked.
> 
> Also, I never explicitly said this but Meta can control wind in the same way that Lapis can control water. That’s why they can fly with such small wings, they glide on the wind that they control.
> 
> To clarify, no, the Novatrixes did not put Meta in the sword. This is what Meta believes for a reason I’ll later reveal, but it is not true. Galaxia knows the truth, but Meta doesn’t believe her when she tells them, so it’s pointless to tell them again and again.
> 
> This is.. kind of a heavy chapter. I almost started crying writing this shit! Hope you guys really liked it.
> 
> (Updated on 7-16-18, the reason for Delilah having the sword was shit and I needed to rewrite it. Good thing I caught it early on.)


	4. The Farther You Go, The Better He Can See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dedede and Delilah set out to find Meta.
> 
> —
> 
> Galaxia and Meta search for somewhere safe to stay.

Well.

All that happened. 

What was Dedede left to do? Sweep up the glass and patch up his window? Tell someone what happened? Or, maybe..

“Hey, mom?” Dedede asked, crushing the silence that filled the room. Delilah snapped out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?” 

“..How’s Meta gonna survive on their own out there?” Delilah hadn’t thought of that. Meta didn’t look a day over fifteen, how _were_ they gonna survive? If they really were one of Nightmare’s creations.. Would Nightmare be looking for them? She really hoped not. Delilah knew what Nightmare was capable of, and she couldn’t even imagine the torment he could put the poor kid through. 

“Maybe they won’t have to.” Dedede could already guess what she was gonna say next, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up until he was certain.

“I beg your pardon?” 

“We can go look for them. Bring ‘em back here, apologize. You think that’ll work?” Dedede thought on that for a second. Meta seemed pretty pissed.. But maybe if he explained to them that his mom wasn’t gonna hurt them..

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s a good idea, let’s do it!” Delilah nods, and both get up to gather supplies for this road trip. Food, water, clothes, other general needs.. 

Delilah grabs her taser. She can’t risk anything with Nightmare, and a taser might not be the best method of defense.. But anything counts. She sighs. _This thing was supposed to be for home invaders, not crazy-powerful wizards.._ , she thinks to herself. 

The two set out within a few minutes, hopping in Delilah’s minivan and speeding down the road. They don’t know where Meta could’ve gone, but Dedede thinks he saw them fly off towards that little town on the cliffside. That’s their first stop. 

Their second stop?.. 

Who knows?

—

Since when was Grape Gardens so cold during the summer? 

Galaxia had no clue why. It was supposed to be hot today too, why was it so freezing? The weather chose the worst day to be so cold, as Meta didn’t exactly do so well in the cold. 

Meta had flown through the remainder of Orange Oceans and over the entirety of Yogurt Yard with Galaxia in tow, but the cold air over Grape Gardens caused them to stop. Currently, the two sat by a makeshift camp fire and tried to keep warm. Galaxia nudged Meta’s arm to get their attention.

“Are you alright? Is there anything you need?” She asked quietly, as to not draw any more attention to herself and Meta. The fire brought enough attention to them. Meta shakes their head.

“No, I’m okay.. Thank you for asking.” Meta sat as close to the fire as they could without Galaxia nagging about them burning themselves. The ashes would occasionally float up into their face, so they kept their eyes shut. It was much easier to keep themselves from crying again that way, anyways. 

“..How did you escape from the sword?” Galaxia may be a goddess, but she cannot see all. Meta tenses up. 

“I was released by someone else.” Galaxia wasn’t letting Meta off the hook so easily. She wanted to know who this person was, why Meta seemingly ran away from them.

“Who? Did they not let you stay with them?” Meta takes a deep breath. 

“It was.. Dedede Novatrix. It was too dangerous to stay with the Novatrixes, so I left.” Galaxia was not surprised. The Novatrixes never were a threat to Meta. She’d always try to tell them, but Meta would never listen. It was the one thing that they still believed from Nightmare. It probably would’ve been much better for Meta to stay with them.

“You know they really aren’t a threat to you, dearest. Nightmare only told you that to-“ Meta cut her off.

“I can’t risk it. They might’ve turned me in to him. Or hurt me. I don’t.. I don’t know.” Meta sighed. They wanted to believe Galaxia, but.. They just couldn’t be certain about who would hurt them or not. Dedede _seemed_ friendly, but..

So did Nightmare, all those years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it sure has been a while since i updated, huh? i’m glad i was in the mood to write today, because i feel like i would’ve forgotten this fic otherwise! 
> 
> i based my popstar-geography on a map of popstar on a poster from the pupupu train event. it wasn’t the main feature of the picture, but hey. it’s the closest i’m getting to a canon map.
> 
> i know the title seems very out of the blue and random. but it’ll make sense next chapter, trust me.


	5. (Nearly) Together At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hours of driving lead to the wrong results.
> 
> —
> 
> Galaxia makes a grave mistake.

“Ma, we’ve been driving forever. Can’t we stop sometime? Take a break?” 

Dedede’s words fell on deaf ears, as Delilah continued driving without any second thought on resting. She hardly said three words to Meta, but she was not about to let Nightmare take another child. If she can save even just one child from him, that would be enough. 

Meanwhile, Dedede was getting a little nervous for his new friend. They’ve been driving for almost sixteen hours now, how far could Meta possibly have gotten? Yogurt Yard showed no sign of anyone even walking through, but Grape Garden seemed more.. Ravaged? Things were turned up, there was a burnt out campfire.. Even if there was no guarantee that Meta had been there, it was hopeful. 

An hour passes.

Delilah hears the sound of feet dragging through the grass and hits the breaks suddenly. Dedede is caught off guard and smacks his head on the dashboard. He begins a protest, but is stopped by Delilah clamping a hand over his mouth. 

“Shh. Do you hear that?” Dedede listens closely. He hears the faint sound of grass rustling, and.. 

And the sound of a van door closing. 

—

Meta did not want to be on their own. Being alone in the open was dangerous, because Nightmare could pick them out much easier when there was nothing to cover them.. And Meta was not in the best position to be protecting themselves from Nightmare’s goons right now. The last thing they ate was that bagel Dedede gave them, and it wasn’t exactly the most filling meal in the world. 

Galaxia had left Meta alone while she went to find something to eat, and suggested that they do the same. After all, two people searching is more effective than just one. She claimed that they would be able to find their way back to their meeting spot, as their sense of direction was _stellar_ , as she’d described it.

And so, Meta trudged through the meadow tiredly with their aching feet, searching for a fruit tree or bush or maybe even some poor fool’s abandoned picnic basket. They felt their face, and realized the extend to which that damn glass scraped them up. Why did they have to make such a dramatic exit and burst through Dedede’s window? It wasn’t worth the end result of being scratched and sore and alone and unhappy. 

Meta stops in their tracks as they hear a van door slam shut.

Shit. Did someone see them? They couldn’t afford to be asked questions about their home life by some random stranger, and they didn’t want Galaxia to worry.. 

They’re snapped out of their worrying by two men in pristine, black uniforms grabbing them by the arms. 

Meta manages to get a look at the logo on the van behind them. Holy Nightmare.. That explains these men. 

They don’t have another moment to think before everything fades to black.

—

There’s barely any time to think before Dedede sees the Holy Nightmare van and Meta getting dragged into it by the arms.

Delilah is yelling for Dedede to get out of the car with her. He fumbles with the door, falls out of the car and begins stumbling towards the van to no avail. 

Because before either Novatrix could reach them, the van doors are closed and Meta is driven back to the Hell they were living in before. Dedede stands up straight, gasping for breath.

“Shit. They’re- They’re gone. What’re we supposed to do now?” He says, exasperated. Delilah starts back for the car, seemingly unaffected. Dedede follows, confused.

Delilah grips her taser. “If we gotta go in there to get the kid, then.. That’s what we’re gonna do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates within a few days of each other? carly, what kind of writing steroids are you on! 
> 
> i’m glad i’m getting this chapter out of the way, because shit starts really hitting the fan after this. prepare!
> 
> i’ve also been considering posting my notes on the currently written chapters, if anyone would be interested in that for any reason whatsoever.


	6. Welcome Back To Hell, We Hope You Enjoyed Your Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And everything goes back to how it was before. 
> 
> Meta loses hope for escaping.

The sedated state Meta was in was almost.. Peaceful. There were no Novatrixes or tests or bruises and cuts in the dark mist of unconsciousness. It worried Meta just how much they enjoyed being incapacitated compared to living life. 

But, of course, nothing good can last. Meta is awoken by a harsh stinging feeling on their cheek. They go to put their hand on the injury, but it appears that their arms and legs are handcuffed to the chair that they sat in. 

In a very scarily familiar room, lit by fluorescent lights that burned Meta’s eyes. 

With a very scarily familiar, pale man in a cloak standing in front of them. No, not just standing, _towering_ over Meta. 

“Hope you enjoyed your little vacation from me. Because you’re _never_ leaving this building again. Do you hear me?” Meta kept their head down as Nightmare shouted at them. They’d always been very sensitive to loud sounds, as their hearing was very sharp and picked up on every little sound there was. Nightmare knew this well. 

“Excuse me? Do you fucking hear me? I know you can. Reply to your master when he speaks to you.” Nightmare leaned in closer. Meta winced at the word ‘master’. They didn’t even get the luxury of calling Nightmare ‘father’ anymore. Now he was sure to let Meta know that they were but a guinea pig to him. 

“I’m sorry, F- I-I mean.. Master. I won’t- I won’t do it again.” Meta didn’t dare look Nightmare in the eyes. That would earn them another slap across the face, or worse. 

“Good. Now. Tell me how you got out of the sword.” Meta processed the statement. They couldn’t tell him- He’d surely kill both Novatrixes.. Even if they had betrayed them, even if they couldn’t trust them.. They didn’t deserve a death at Nightmare’s hands. Meta had seen the worst of what he could dish out. It was _brutal._ But they couldn’t lie. Nightmare would always be able to tell..

“What did I tell you about not replying to me? You want me to call the guards?” Meta snapped out of their thoughts and instantly spilled out a reply.

“I-It was the Novatrixes. The younger one- He helped me- Um, uhm-“ Meta couldn’t finish their words. It was too difficult to rat out the people who’d helped them. Nightmare leans in closer, right in Meta’s face. He knew that scared them. And who do you think caused that fear?

“Spit it out, little mouse. He helped you what? Get yourself together? I wish.” Nightmare grabs Meta’s face between his big, disgustingly bony fingers. The tears on their face are now obvious. 

“You’re pathetic. Crying? Really? I’m sparing your life. I should kill you right here, you know this.” Nightmare throws Meta’s face back. 

“But. Unfortunately, you’re one of a kind. I need to study you, and all that you can do. So I will spare you, but only if you behave. Do you understand me?” Meta perks up. 

“Y-Yes, Master. I understand.” Meta curses the words coming out of their mouth. How they wished they could just fly away and be in the clouds, be free..

Meta is soon jerked up to their feet and pulled down an all-too familiar hallway. They hadn’t even noticed the cuffs around their ankles being taken off. Or that they had the dreary purple Holy Nightmare pajamas on. If they could even be called pajamas. If they were going to survive this place, they had to stop being so.. Spacey. They’re taken to their previous living space: A small cell with only a bed and the remnants of Meta’s bleak childhood. A couple finger paintings taped to the pristine white walls, a tattered stuffed penguin. That was all that they had. Meta is thrown into the cell and quickly locked inside.

“There will be no testing today. We haven’t got any of yours set up yet. But don’t expect this every day, you will be testing most of your life here. Got it?” Meta nodded in response, still avoiding Nightmare’s gaze. They can hear the clicking and clacking of his shoes as he walks away from the cell, leaving Meta to their thoughts. 

_I’m so stupid,_ they thought, _I should’ve never run away from those Novatrixes. Everything Father told me about them was so wrong.. I see that now. Why couldn’t I have realized this earlier? All they wanted to do was take care of me and keep me safe, and I had to run away like a reckless child. And now I’m stuck here forever, and I’ll never get to see Dedede again.._ Meta catches themselves. Why are they thinking about Dedede, of all people? They barely knew him for two days, what was so special about him? Was it how nice he was? The charming voice, the endless compliments, how warm he was when he slept- Woah. 

What is this feeling they’re having? Meta’s never felt this strongly about anyone before. Sure, they cared very much for Galaxia, but.. This is something much stronger than that, surely. 

But Meta’s got more pressing matters to think about. Like.. How they’re going to re-earn Nightmare’s trust. How they’re going to do these tests. 

..How they’re going to stay alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it’s been a hot second lads!


	7. Test No. 1883: Dimension Walking on Subject M-27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delilah finally gets to see what it is that Nightmare does to the children in his facility.
> 
> And, boy, is she angry.

How the Holy Nightmare vans were so fast was impossible. Dedede could’ve sworn that they were going the speed of sports cars. Shitty old vans shouldn’t go that fast. His mom’s didn’t, that’s for sure. 

And that’s what lead him to his current situation. Walking through the woods of Grape Gardens with his mom to some wizard’s facility however many miles away. And if however were a number, it would be a big ass number, because Dedede feels like he’s been walking _forever_. Just as he’s about to ask how long they’ve been walking, a building appears in the distance. Dedede’s stomach drops, but he continued walking alongside Delilah. She must’ve noticed his fears for this building, as she taps him on the shoulder. 

“You okay? I know this is probably a lot for you, the whole having your friend run away and get kidnapped by an evil wizard.. Thing.” 

“I’m fine, just kinda.. Tired? How long’ve we been walkin’?” Delilah didn’t know what she expected. Teenagers. 

“We’re close. I’m sure you at least noticed the big purple building up there.” Delilah hated Nightmare for a lot of reasons, including the ugly purple he decided to paint his building. Disgusting. 

Within a few minutes, the Novatrixes arrive at the building. _Was it always cloudy, or am I imagining things?_ , Dedede thought. Delilah grips the taser in her pocket, expecting to see guards at the entrance, but.. Seeing none. Huh. You’d think the guy would have an arsenal out there. 

“What’s.. With that? Where’s all the guards?” She whispered in confusion. 

“Maybe he’s tryna look less suspicious by not havin’ guards. People won’t think ya have anythin’ dangerous if you don’t have guards.” Dedede whispered back. Delilah didn’t have time to think about that though, because she had to scan the area for security cameras. And there were.. None. What was with this guy’s security? Or.. Lack of? Dedede doesn’t think about this before he starts to walk to the entrance and creak the door open slowly. Delilah follows along. She isn’t letting her son go into this wizard man’s building alone! 

And that’s when they hear something. People talking about something, the shuffling of feet, something turning on..

“Subject M-27, step into the testing chamber.” A voice comes over an intercom of sorts. Delilah motions for Dedede to follow her towards the noise. They walk down the hall until they see a group of scientists looking into another room through a window..

A room with Meta in it, blindfolded and with headphones over their ears. Wires fell out of these headphones, trailing back to some large machine. Delilah watched carefully, grasping her taser. If they did anything to hurt this child, she’d be putting it to good use. Dedede watched the screen above the glass. It pictured Meta’s point of view, but.. Somewhere else. The ground seemed to be almost nonexistent, and the skies were a bloody red, with these.. Strange black stripes crossing through it. Meta walks forward with extreme caution, trying to not to show that they were afraid. They knew what happened if they showed fear. 

This plans goes flying out the window when a large, black.. Creature with orange limbs and one big eye flies towards them. Meta stops in their tracks. Delilah doesn’t see the screen, but only the scared child in the testing room, sitting on the floor and picking at their knees. Poor thing. Delilah was going to make Nightmare pay for treating them like this. 

The headphones come crashing to the floor as the creature lunges at Meta, and so does the blindfold. They shake their head at the scientists, and one signals two guards into the room. Meta turns towards the door and shakes their head frantically, trying to run from the guards. The room was soundproof, but one could tell that they were saying ‘no’. The guards do eventually catch up with Meta, grabbing them by the arms. They shove a syringe into their arms and successfully sedate them, carrying them away.

Just as Delilah is about to jump up and tase the scientists, she feels a cold, bony hand grab her by the hair. She knows who the hand belongs to, and she feels her heart stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> read thru chapters 1-3 and realized a whole bunch of plothooolleessss, that’s bc i didn’t have a linear storyline or anything written down abt what i was gonna do with this fic so i’m gonna have to rewrite those a little! 
> 
> and yes, the other dimension meta visits is dark star. i know it isn’t another dimension in canon, but i didn’t want to use another dimension. it wasn’t scary enough!


End file.
